Word of Honor
by Jenn11
Summary: An old friend of Elliot's is the suspect in a rape.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Word of Honor Author: Jenn Rating: PG (just to be safe) Summery: An old friend of Elliot's is the suspect in a rape. A/N: I've now been out of the Marines almost a year, so I decided to  
  
write a story where the case involves Elliot's past as a Marine. Hope  
  
you all like it. LOTS of thanks to Caillean for all the encouragment  
  
and support.  
  
thoughtsindicate thoughts, not spoken aloud.  
  
MONDAY MORNING  
  
"How as your week off?" asked Olivia as Elliot sat at his desk.  
  
"Good. The kids seemed to love having me to themselves for a week. So did Kathy."  
  
"I'm sure they did," she answered with a smile.  
  
"What's been going on here?"  
  
"There was a rape case. Fin and Munch are picking up the suspect now. Should be back any minute," she told him.  
  
As predicted, Fin and Munch arrived a few minutes later with a suspect in tow. Looking at the suspect Elliot was shocked.  
  
"JJ," Elliot called as he stood up, causing the suspect, and everyone else, to look at him.  
  
"Elliot?" asked the suspect, almost as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.  
  
"You know this guy?" asked Fin.  
  
"Yeah." Elliot paused for a moment. He didn't want to talk to JJ in the middle of the Squad Room. And if he observed the interrogation he'd learn everything he needed to. "Sorry. JJ, I'll talk to you later. Once these two are done with the questioning."  
  
"They your friends?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Jeremy Jennings nodded. If Elliot called these two his friends then they were good men. He had a good chance at getting fair treatment.  
  
"Hey, Alex," Olivia greeted the ADA who had been entered right behind Fin and Munch, but not been noticed at once due to Elliot's actions.  
  
"Hello. I heard there was a suspect, and thought I'd come by. I assume you'll also be observing the interrogation, Elliot?"  
  
He nodded and followed Alex to the observation room. Olivia and Cragen shared a look then also entered the observation room.  
  
Munch sat across the table to Jennings and Fin leaned against one wall.  
  
"Where were you Thursday night, about 1 am," asked Munch.  
  
"I was home, asleep."  
  
Fin spoke next. "Is there anyone who can vouch for that? Wife, girlfriend, . . . overnight guest?"  
  
"No. I was alone."  
  
"So you were home in bed? Not raping a girl outside the dance club half a mile from where you live?"  
  
"I didn't rape anyone."  
  
"We looked up your record. You were a Marine. Is that how you and Elliot know each other?"  
  
"Yeah. We were in the same unit."  
  
"The problem is that you talked to the girl. According to her statement you said . . . "Munch paused an opened the folder in front of him. "Good to go", when you started on her and "over and out" when you pulled yourself out of her after. Those are phases that military people would use."  
  
"Does Elliot talk like that?"  
  
"No," Munch admitted. A slight bit of doubt creeping into his mind.  
  
"And even if I still did talk like that, and I don't, I wouldn't be stupid enough to talk like that while I was committing a crime."  
  
That also rang true in Munch's mind, allowing a bit more doubt to grow.  
  
"The woman who got raped said the guys face looked like an alien mask of some sort. Then we showed her a gas mask, and it was a guy in a gas mask not an alien, who raped her. We searched your place and found a gas mask," Fin told him.  
  
"You can get those at any Army Surplus Store," Jennings argued.  
  
Fin continued. "We also found a knife. A KA-Bar. The kind the Marines have. And, the kind that was used to threaten our victim."  
  
"You don't have to be a Marine to get a KA-Bar. You said threatened, was the woman hurt?"  
  
"She was raped. I think that counts as being hurt," growled Munch.  
  
"I mean was she cut up, beaten?" Jennings pressed.  
  
"She got a bunch of bruises, but no cuts."  
  
"So the guy hit her, with his fists?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"You hit someone with your fists, your knuckles show it. Look at my knuckles. Do they look like I've been hitting someone?" As he spoke Jennings put his hands flat on the table. There was no sign of bruises or scrapes.  
  
This time Munch spoke, even though he was beginning to believe the man's story. "You've got one more problem. We've got an eyewitness that says he saw a man fitting your description leaving the area where the woman got raped a few minutes after it happened. Just enough time, and distance, for you to take off your gas mask. We're bringing him in to see if he recognizes you in a line up."  
  
Munch looked at his partner, then stood up. "We'll check to see if the line up's ready. Sit tight."  
  
"Can I talk to Elliot now?"  
  
"Yeah. But do yourself a favor and don't forget that he's a cop. A damn good one," said Fin. "Anything you say to him can still be used against you."  
  
Jennings nodded and watched as they left. Seconds later Elliot entered. Fin and Munch joined the others watching through the one-way glass.  
  
"Hey, Elliot."  
  
"Been a long time, JJ," said Elliot as he sat down.  
  
"Yeah, it has. But like they say, Once a Marine. . . "  
  
"Always a Marine," finished Elliot.  
  
JJ looked into his old friend's eyes. "I didn't do it. I swear."  
  
"Give me you word, as a Marine, and I'll believe you."  
  
"I give you my word of honor, as a Marine, I didn't rape anyone."  
  
Elliot's lips curved slightly in an almost-smile, then turned serious. "Good enough for me. It isn't my case, I can't interfere. But Munch and Fin are good cops. They'll find out who did this."  
  
A few minutes later Elliot left the room. They all headed to Captain Cragen's office.  
  
"Elliot, you're sure this guy is innocent?"  
  
"Yes, I am. He gave me his word. This guy was Military Police. He helped catch rapists. I don't see him becoming one."  
  
"It also means he would be aware of how to work the system," Alex pointed out.  
  
Elliot didn't say anything but looked into Alex's eyes. The tension between them was clear, and neither blinked. Familiar with their friends staring matches the others remained silent.  
  
He didn't do it  
  
You don't know that  
  
Yes I do  
  
After a moment Alex spoke. "You'd better be right, Detective."  
  
"Elliot, I know he was your friend, but that was a long time ago. People change," Fin said.  
  
"Not like this."  
  
"Get off it. We see this stuff every day."  
  
"Not from him."  
  
"You mean not from a Marine. You were an MP, so you can't tell me that you never saw a Marine break the laws, or even commit a rape."  
  
"Fin, I seem to remember when we had a cop accused of rape and you didn't want to believe it," Olivia reminded him.  
  
"And I was right. The cop was innocent."  
  
"And so is JJ. I'm not wrong about this, Fin."  
  
"You're blind about this," he shot back.  
  
Cragen stepped in between the two. "Fin, go get the line up ready."  
  
After a last glare at Elliot, Fin left, with Munch following behind him.  
  
Cragen looked at Elliot. "Let Munch and Fin handle this case."  
  
"That an order?"  
  
"Does it need to be?"  
  
"Come on, Elliot. After being gone a week you have plenty of paperwork to do," said Olivia as she gently pulled him from the room.  
  
Alex turned to Cragen. "What do you think?"  
  
"To be honest, I'm not sure what to think. The guy made some good points when he was answering the questions. But you're right that having been a military police he'd know how to work the system. I want to believe what Elliot says, but. . . Let's just wait and see what the eyewitness says at the line up."  
  
"It was late and dark, and he may not be able to give us a good answer either way."  
  
"I know, Alex. I know."  
  
"If the eyewitness identifies him, I'll have to indict him; whether Elliot likes it our not," she said, but didn't sound happy about it.  
  
Outside Elliot and Olivia sat at their desks.  
  
"What's the eyewitness name?" Elliot asked.  
  
"Elliot. . ."  
  
"I'm just asking for a name. I won't interfere."  
  
"Samuel Hawthorne."  
  
Elliot scowled. "I've heard that name before."  
  
"He isn't in our system," Olivia told him.  
  
"That somehow doesn't make me feel better."  
  
"Right now worry about that pile of paperwork in front of you," Olivia 'scolded' him.  
  
An hour later Munch and Fin returned to their desks.  
  
"Bad news, Elliot. The witness identified Jennings as the man he saw that night," Munch said.  
  
"Looks like he's changed more than you thought," Fin added.  
  
"That doesn't prove anything. Eyewitnesses can be wrong. Especially at night," Elliot said, glaring at Fin.  
  
"He's being booked right now, Elliot. You can talk to him again tomorrow," Munch said, to try and avoid the two fighting. 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Camp LeJuene is a huge Marine Base in North Carolina. I checked the Bio for Elliot at the NBC site and they didn't have anything about what he did as a Marine or where he was stationed so I decided to keep him on the east coast. Please let me  
  
know if you think I should have more or less military stuff mentioned. . .  
  
Cpl Elliot Stabler watched out the window as Cpl Jeremy Jennings, more often called "JJ" drove through the side roads of Camp LeJuene. They were neither surprised by how quiet things were, since it was a Monday night, rather than a weekend.  
  
"Hey! Over there, turn right. I see someone running," Elliot directed.  
  
JJ did so and activated the red and blue lights, but didn't turn on the siren.  
  
As they pulled to a stop a girl ran up to them. Elliot, on the passenger side, was closer and she almost collapsed into his arms once he was out of the vehicle.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"No. No. No. . . . "she repeated, trailing off.  
  
Coming around to stand near them JJ noticed her torn shirt.  
  
"Let's get her to the Base Hospital," Elliot suggested, looking at JJ over the girls head.  
  
"Yeah. Good idea," JJ agreed.  
  
An hour later the doctor came out to talk to them. "She was raped, and beat up pretty good. But I think she can talk to you now."  
  
Just then their Sergeant arrived. "I'll talk to the Sergeant. You talk to the girl," said JJ. With a nod Elliot followed the doctor away.  
  
"Can you tell me what happened?" he asked a few minutes later.  
  
"I was out on a date with a guy I know. When we got back we started. . . fooling around in his car. Then I told him to stop. He wouldn't. He started hitting me, and tore my shirt. Said he'd taken me to dinner and I owed him. He was strong. Too strong. I couldn't . . . couldn't stop him. He . . . he forced me."  
  
"Okay. What was the guys name?"  
  
"Samuel Hawthorne."  
  
Elliot's eyes opened, but he didn't move, since he didn't want to wake Cathy.  
  
A smile crossed his lips. They hadn't been able to get Hawthorne before, but this time he would. He thought back over the history of the case and it's affect on him. At Hawthorne's Court Martial they hadn't been able to get him for rape. Back then "date rape" didn't exist. Then JJ had the idea of charging him with assault instead. That had stuck and Hawthorne had been sent to the Brig. But not before threatening to make JJ pay.  
  
He'd forgotten about the case until he'd been offered a position in the Special Victims Unit. He'd asked to think about it overnight. That night he'd also remembered the girl who'd been raped, and not being able to help her find justice. Hawthorne had been put away, but not for raping her. The next day he'd agreed to transfer to SVU. Then as time passed, and he saw so many cases, he'd once again forgotten the old incident.  
  
A few hours later Elliot walked into the squad room. He was glad to see that Fin and Munch were both present. Walking to the break area he got his coffee and waited for Alex to show up. He'd called her and asked her to come to the Squad, not her office, first.  
  
Several minutes later she appeared. Cragen looked up from his conversation with Munch.  
  
"Alex, what brings you here?"  
  
"Elliot asked me to come."  
  
Cragen gave Elliot a look that said he'd better have a good explanation, and he'd better have it now.  
  
"Our 'eyewitness' Samuel Hawthorne, is our rapist. When JJ and I were MP's we found a girl who'd been raped by Hawthorne. Back then date rape didn't exist, and he got off. JJ had the idea that even if we couldn't get him for rape we could get him for assault. We did. At his court martial he swore he'd make JJ pay. I think he's finally found a way to do it."  
  
"By blaming JJ for a rape he committed?" asked Olivia.  
  
"It does make sense. If we eliminate Hawthorne as an eyewitness the rest of the evidence conceivably points to Hawthorne as easily as it does to Jennings," Alex pointed out.  
  
Elliot sent her a grateful look. The slightest of smiles touched her lips in return.  
  
"So if the evidence points to both of them equally, we have a problem," Munch said.  
  
Elliot looked over at him. "I thought you'd like a good conspiracy theory. Besides, Hawthorne's past, and lying about what he saw, should make him the prime suspect."  
  
"The conspiracy theories I like best are the ones you can prove. This one is good, if we prove that he's lying about his eyewitness statement, and if he has a gas mask and knife in his home. I'm not saying I don't believe you, Elliot, just that we need evidence."  
  
Cragen took control. "Fin, call Hawthorne in. Tell him it's something about his statement that we need to clarify. Alex, can you get us a search warrant for his place?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Good. Then I'd like you to go with Elliot and Olivia to do the search," he requested.  
  
"Okay. Smart move," she agreed. They all trusted Elliot. But that didn't mean that Hawthorne and his lawyer might not try and accuse Elliot of planting evidence to frame an old enemy and get a friend off. With an ADA at the search no judge would seriously listen to that theory.  
  
"This guy really is smart. If Elliot hadn't been here and recognized his name, Hawthorne probably would have gotten away with this," Munch commented.  
  
"Right now let's worry about making sure he doesn't."  
  
SAMUEL HAWTHORNE'S APARTMENT 10:30 am  
  
Olivia carefully lifted the knife and looked at the image on the leather sheath. A circle contained a picture of the globe with an eagle on top of it and an anchor in front of the globe. The lettering below the image said USMC. At the top of the sheath, she read KA-BAR. "Found our knife."  
  
"And I've got the gas mask," Elliot said from nearby. He held up a square, olive drab green, carrying case.  
  
"Do all Marine's keep this stuff when they get out?" Olivia asked him, as she dropped the sheathed knife into an evidence bag.  
  
"I have a KA-Bar, but no gas mask," Elliot answered.  
  
"I have some photos over here," Alex called.  
  
They walked over and Elliot dropped the gas mask to the group and picked up the envelope. Opening it he pulled out the pictures, quickly glancing through them. "Most of these are pictures of JJ. Including him walking into his home, so Hawthorne knew where JJ lived. There are a few of a club as well. A New York Minute."  
  
"That's the club the woman had left just before she was raped," Olivia told him.  
  
Once they'd finished searching Elliot looked over at Alex. "Is what we have here enough evidence?"  
  
"It should be. But it would help if we could get the transcripts of his two Court Martials, both for the rape and the assault."  
  
"Even though he wasn't convicted of the rape?" asked Olivia.  
  
"With Elliot's testimony I'll make sure that the jury understands that there were no date rape laws back then. The real problems will be getting the military records, then getting a Judge to allow them into evidence. But I'll start working on a subpoena for those records and hope the Marines will give them to me."  
  
"Hold off on that, Alex. Let me make a few calls first. I still keep in touch with a few old friends who have pretty high ranks now. I may be able to get the records released without a legal battle."  
  
"You're sure?"  
  
"That I'll get the records? No. That I have a better chance of getting them than you do? Yeah. No offense to you. It's just that Marines are not real trusting of outsiders. Especially if they think that outsider is going after a Marine. They'll clam up and not release the records just on principle. But I can talk to people who knew Hawthorne and won't have much problem helping us put him away for rape this time."  
  
"Okay. Let me know," she agreed, willing to trust Elliot's judgment of how the Marines would react.  
  
"Right now let's get this stuff to the Squad and see how Munch and Fin are doing with Hawthorne," Olivia suggested.  
  
"While you do that I'll see about getting JJ released," Alex told them as they walked outside. They dropped her off at the courthouse twenty minutes later.  
  
SVU INTERROGATION ROOM 10:30 am  
  
"So what did you want to see me about?" asked Hawthorne once all three men were seated.  
  
"Well, you seemed very sure of you identification."  
  
"Yeah, 'cause it was him."  
  
"But you saw him late at night, when it was dark. How far away from him did you say you were?"  
  
"I don't know for sure. But he was walking under a lamp. I saw him."  
  
"So he was moving, that meant you'd only have seen him for a few seconds."  
  
"You sound like you don't believe me," Hawthorne said in a very defensive tone.  
  
"We got us a bright one here," Fin commented, looking at his partner.  
  
"You were a Marine, weren't you?" asked Munch.  
  
"Yeah. I was."  
  
"The evidence we have points to a Marine, or former Marine, as the doer."  
  
"Well, there have to be a lot of former Marines living in New York."  
  
This time Fin spoke up. "But only one who's already admitted to being at the scene of that rape."  
  
"What is this? I come forward as a witness to help you catch this guy and you accuse me?"  
  
The door opened and Cragen walked in.  
  
"The problem, Mr. Hawthorne, is that we have another witness who says the rapist matches your description, not the man you say you saw."  
  
"Me? That's ridiculous!"  
  
"Is it?" asked Much, glaring at the man.  
  
"Who is this witness?"  
  
"He should be here soon. So if you have anything to tell us or want to make any changes to your statement, now would be the time," Cragen told him. "Right now two of my detectives are searching you apartment. When they get back I can tell the ADA that you cooperated, or that you didn't."  
  
"I want a lawyer."  
  
"We'll get a public defender down here," Cragen said as he and the detectives stood up.  
  
Once they reached the Squad room Munch turned to Cragen. "Since when is there another witness?"  
  
"There isn't," Cragen replied in a matter-of-fact tone.  
  
"Nice work, Captain," said Fin before he and John went to their desks.  
  
Alone in the room Hawthorne wondered what had gone wrong with his plan.  
  
He received the answer a little while later when Elliot walked into the room.  
  
"Stabler."  
  
"You remember me, how nice," Elliot said.  
  
"I asked for a lawyer."  
  
"Yeah. One should be here soon. I just thought we could catch up on old times. Seems like some things never change. Samuel Hawthorne, you're under arrest for rape. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. . . . "  
  
On the other side of the one way glass Cragen, Fin, and Munch watched as Elliot read the man his rights.  
  
Cragen spoke first. "That was nice of you two to let Elliot make the arrest."  
  
"He's been waiting for it a long time."  
  
A moment later Elliot joined them. He looked between John and Fin. "Thank you."  
  
They each gave him a nod of acknowledgement.  
  
A/N:  
  
AthleticCharmedOne: Thank you!  
  
Hrpuffnstuff: Hope this answered your question on who Samuel Hawthorne is. . .  
  
Liberty Cabot: THANKS!!! 


End file.
